Shoppers at Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre have been treated to advice and support from Santa’s little helpers ahead of the festive season courtesy of Solihull Stop Smoking Service.

The campaign, ‘Look after your elf’, is aimed at supporting those that want to quit smoking as part of their New Year’s resolutions and beyond.

Many smokers looking to beat the habit visited the stand at Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre, where specialist advisors from Solihull Stop Smoking Service were able to offer free advice and support to help local residents quit smoking in the New Year.

Members of the public were able to discuss nicotine replacement therapies, other medications and general health tips to ensure they quit smoking for good.

Sarah Stables, Solihull Stop Smoking service manager, said: “The beginning of a new year brings a fresh start and a desire to break old habits. The urge to quit smoking is top of many people’s list when it comes to New Year’s resolutions and we want the local community to know support is available. We’re here to tell people, ‘Don’t give up giving up!’ Smokers are four times more likely to give up smoking with the help of the NHS than on their own.

“We had great fun dressing up as elves to grab the attention of shoppers at Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre in the run up to Christmas, and we believe it was the perfect message to help people remember to ‘look after your elf’ in 2015.”

The Stop Smoking Service offers one-to-one support for smokers to quit smoking at a range of venues across the borough, including drop-in sessions (details below), most GP surgeries, pharmacies and a dental surgery

For more information, call the Solihull Stop Smoking Service on 0121 704 6000 or visit www.solihullstopsmoking.co.uk.

*Drop-in sessions held by Solihull Stop Smoking Service:

• Fridays 4pm-7pm, Chelmsley Wood Primary Care Centre, Crab Tree Drive, Chelmsley Wood, B37 5BU.
• Saturdays 10am-Midday, The Woodmans Public House, Union Road, Shirley, B90 3DB.
• Saturdays 10am-1pm, You + Shop, 1 Coppice Way, Chelmsley Wood, B37 5TX.
• Wednesdays 2pm-5.30pm, You + Shop, 1 Coppice Way, Chelmsley Wood, B37 5TX.
• Saturdays 10am-12.30pm, Hobs Moat Library, Ulleries Road, Solihull, B92 8EB.
• Mondays 2pm-4pm, Kingshurst Art Space, 39 The Parade, Kingshurst, B37 6BD.
• Tuesdays 6pm-8pm, Toby Jug, 489 Chester Road, B36 0JV.